symptom
symptom
UK[ˈsɪmptəm]US[ˈsɪmp.təm]
n
A physical or mental feature which is regarded as indicating a condition of disease, particularly such a feature that is apparent to the patient.
n
A sign of the existence of something, especially of an undesirable situation.
Morpheme Breakdown
sym
ptom
sym
together
ptom
falling
Etymology
The word "symptom" originates from the Greek sýmptōma, meaning "a happening, accident, or disease symptom". This noun was formed from the verb sympiptein, which combines syn- (together) and piptein (to fall), literally translating to "to fall together". The conceptual logic is that a symptom is a phenomenon that "befalls" or "falls upon" a person concurrently with a disease. Over time, the meaning evolved from a general "occurrence" to specifically denote a perceptible sign that falls together with and indicates an underlying pathological condition.
Analysis
Structure: sym (together) + ptom (falling)
- sym: From Greek, a prefix meaning "together, with".
- ptom: From Greek ptōma, meaning "a fall, casualty, misfortune", derived from piptein "to fall".
Examples
A persistent cough can be a symptom of a serious illness.
The government's failure to address these issues is a symptom of a deeper political crisis.
She experienced flu-like symptoms shortly after the trip.